The prostate is a gland in the male urinary system located directly below the bladder and surrounding the urethra. A common urological disorder that some men encounter is enlargement of the prostate due to disease or decreases in hormone production. Generally, the enlarged prostate tends to constrict the-urethra resulting in reduced urination flow and/or urine retention.
A medical professional has a number of options to treat a patient suffering from retention caused by the enlargement of the patient's prostate. One option is to perform a surgical procedure that cuts or removes parts of the patient's diseased prostatic tissue (the enlarged section of the prostate). Another option is to insert a device, such as, for example, a stent to facilitate drainage of urine and/or blood from the patient's bladder and urethra.